The Penn State Scandal

Coach Paterno may have followed the rules, but is that enough?

Jason Gay, sportswriter for the Wall Street Journal, correctly mused how “treacherous it is to elevate mortals into myths.” He was speaking about the staggering and lightning-fast descent of the legendary college football coach, Penn State’s Joe Paterno.

The “Penn State Scandal,” as it is has become known, does not deal with a football player getting into mischief. It does not deal with an alumni booster violating NCAA rules. Nor does it involve a coach committing recruiting violations. This matter involves the far more serious and terrifying crime of child molestation.

The story has two major components. First, the alleged acts of a long-tenured assistant coach are the subject of 23-page criminal indictment handed down by a Pennsylvania grand jury. This issue will be properly adjudicated in a court of law with all of the appropriate protections of due process.

The second issue, which is of paramount inquiry to us, is the manner in which Coach Paterno and other Penn State officials responded after being informed of the actions in question.

Is it enough that he violated no state or federal law?

As of now, no one is accusing Paterno of any crime, or of any failure to follow the rules established by Penn State University. Yet is it enough that Paterno committed no crime? Is it enough that he followed the basic administrative guidelines? Is it enough that he violated no state or federal law? What else is required of him? What else is required of us?

When Paterno realized that the Penn State administration was not dealing with the situation (or perhaps covering it up), what should he have done? Was he under any further obligation? Even if he was under no legal obligation, is there a difference between the “letter of the law” and the “spirit of the law”?

The Torah states: “Do not stand idly on your brother’s blood” (Leviticus 19:16). This is an imperative to get involved when a situation goes awry. The Almighty created the world as a workshop for self-perfection. No matter what our station in life, no matter what our innate abilities, the Almighty puts us in a particular situation in order that we make the right choice – no matter how uncomfortable or how politically inexpedient.

Remember when Kitty Genovese was being stabbed to death on the streets of New York, as 38 people stood by as witnesses? None was “required” to step in or call the police. And none did.

That is surely not the Jewish way. Our Sages teach that even when there is potential danger to oneself, one is obligated to save another person from certain danger. (Hagahot Maimoniyot, Kesef Mishnah – Hilchot Rotze’ach; Beit Yosef CM 426)

Imperative to Act

So what would have been required in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania? When the graduate student walked into the shower room and allegedly discovered the horrific acts of the assistant coach, what should he have done?

He should have first attempted to stop it. And then he should have walked out and immediately called 911. But he did not.

Why did he not call the authorities if no one else had done so?

When the graduate student reported it to Coach Paterno, should Paterno have merely reported it to the school’s Athletic Director? Why did he not call the legal authorities? And if not at that time, why not when he realized that no one else had done so?

It’s hard to prove a negative. Nobody can know for sure how much one could have done or should have done to prevent a tragedy.

Indeed, Paterno and others may have acted “appropriately” under the letter of the law. But to be a role model – to be a hero to young athletes and to thousands of Penn State students and fans – we must demand a bit more.

In a similar vein, the Jewish people have been designated as a light unto the nations. Shall we live merely to the “letter of the law”? Shall we do only what is minimally required of us by secular law or other rules? Or shall we perfect our lives within the framework of Torah so that we send a clear message of how to act in even the most horrific circumstances?

The Torah says that if you have a chance to fix something in the world – whether stopping your colleague from an illegal act, or helping to feed starving children – and you do not act, then you ultimately bear responsibility. Perhaps, for that reason alone, the firing of Joe Paterno was justified.

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About the Author

Harve Linder practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, representing clients in business, corporate, transactional, finance, commercial, and employment/labor matters, as well as serving as an arbitrator and certified mediator. He regularly provides pro bono legal representation and advice to numerous Jewish organizations and schools. His greatest pleasure, however, comes from raising his two youngest children with his wife. In addition to their serving on the Board of Directors of many Jewish entities, Linder is co-president of the Atlanta Scholars Kollel, with which he regularly learns Talmud. In the rest of his spare time, he struggles to understand the parsha.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 66

(48)
Jacob,
February 9, 2013 5:57 PM

Judge Others Fairly

Judge others favorably and get the other side of the story before coming down on Paterno.
If the locker room story is true as reported, then at least 3 key people failed to report the incident within an hour after it occurred - before it reached Paterno. He may not have received the information that he was reported to have received and that's why he did not call 911. The story does not make sense.
Here are facts from trial transcripts. The Graduate Assistant (GA) was an assistant football coach, a faculty member. He allegedly witnessed an "in progress" violent crime upon a child in a campus locker room shower. He makes eye contact with them. Nobody says a word. He lets the boy alone with Sandusky. He fails to call 911. Instead, he calls his father to ask advice! His father, a Physician Assistant and CEO of a large medical-surgical physicians group, tells him to leave immediately & come to his house! The GA leaves the campus. He did not alert the Campus Police. As far as he knows, the boy is still with Sandusky. He does nothing for the boy's safety.
Another man arrived at the father's house; a Physician, who is the father's boss and friend. If the GA told them the same story that he later told the Grand Jury, then both men received information about a young boy who was sexually abused within the last hour and was left alone with the perpetrator. As physicians, they would know that he needed emergency medical attention. One phone call from these prominent men would have had the State College police searching for the boy and Sandusky. Yet, they did nothing to locate that boy and to ensure his safety and health. As licensed health care providers, they had a higher reporting obligation then Paterno. They risked everything by doing nothing. Patenro did not know yet.
Paterno received vague information. The jury had doubts. They convicted Sandusky of 45 out of 48 charges, but he was acquitted of the locker room incident.

(47)
Norman Friedman,
July 15, 2012 8:07 PM

Bravo - Mr. Linder

The article should be posted on every refrigerator of not only Jews but the rest of the population. Parents need to teach their children from an earily age that, "NOT TO RESPOND, IS TO RESPOND." Mr. Linder's supurb article says it all....If one takes no apropriate action, then one bares responsibility.

(46)
chani,
November 20, 2011 7:52 PM

I think the proper response is to ask yourself, and ourselves as a community, What would you do. . .if you saw a child rape in progress? If someone told you that he saw a child rape by a reputable person? Would you stop it? Would you report?

(45)
Kimberly Lynn,
November 16, 2011 11:18 PM

Penn State Irresponsibility.............

First of all Anonymous......Alot of sexual predator's go undetected for many years until they are caught & if you don't get caught then ppl are unaware of what kind of person is among them and can keep on commiting crimes for years to come,not all sexual predators have arrest records that can be looked up.Any one who knew or actually seen these children being molested by Sandusky should have reported him to the police and if the school didn't report it to the police, then if it is at all possible each one who knew it and didn't report it should be arrested and charged with some kind of child neglect,abuse etc. these people knew that there were crimes being commited against children & did nothing to STOP IT but done everything to PROTECT their school & the coaches and themselves. All of these ppl who did nothing to help those children should be charged for being accomplices just like you or I would be charged if we sat in the car while our friends were robbing a bank & killed the teller.....you see if that were really happening you and I would have "the opportunity" to get out of the car and walk away while calling the "POLICE" and reporting the crime......these ppl are just as guilty as the predator......they enabled this man,like it or not. There is a witness that can place Sandusky in the shower w/ a child while watching Sandusky perform a sex act on the child. Hmmmm..........key word.....WITNESS.Oh' and the child is also a witness & victim at the same time.

(44)
Anonymous,
November 16, 2011 12:46 AM

quick to judgement

Sandusky is the alleged perpetrator. He is pleading not guilty to the molestations. All the facts/truth are not in.
Don't make the mistake of jumping the gun. Sandusky is innocent till proven guilty.
On another note, we had a rabbi in our city who sexually molested a youngster. The parents had to leave town because the boy could not overcome the trauma. The rabbi moved to New York and hired as principal. A Canadian news team caught up with him in New York. He would not give an interview.. After 15 years, aged 21, the lad committed suicide.
It took another few years after the news team contact and then suicide for the rabbi to be fired. As of this date, the answer in this Paterno case is a blatant miscarriage. Oh, you think nobody knew about the Jewish principal ? They didn't check out his resume ? The guilt of Sandusky and Paterno is yet to be determined, yet they are already victims of assassination of character in the public forum. This article is pure loshon hora at this point. Shame on you. If Paterno had gone to the police and Sandusky was not guilty, the matter would have made spectacular headlines back then too. Paterno did enough. He reported it to the chain of command. Were there settlements made with families of the victims ? In today's world, settlements and non-disclosures being disclosed anyways.
Let's wait for the truth. Sandusky and Paterno are already guilty in the public mind, and that is not going to change. One thing about human nature, people for the most part love to see the mighty fall.
If Sandusky is proven guilty, then weigh in.

(43)
Joan Pressman,
November 15, 2011 9:54 PM

I am impressed. well thought out, well written and points well made. Proud of you my friend. thank you for sharing

Harve,
November 16, 2011 6:32 PM

My Bio is now listed.

Thanks for your comments.

(42)
Emily,
November 15, 2011 3:53 PM

passing the buck

It would seem that no one wanted to take responsibility for reporting to the authorities for one reason or another, but if the school authorities did nothing then Paterno finally had the obligation to do something about it. Not one person could bring themselves to say the buck stops here. All afraid of how it would effect their school's ratings or the teams' rating or whatever rating was out there including possibly losing jobs they wanted to keep. God must still be saddened by it all

(41)
Roy,
November 15, 2011 4:41 AM

Leave Paterno out

Paterno has no practical experience with crime either as a witness to, victim of, participant in, or expert on. He was the recipient of a rumor and followed the reporting chain he knew to follow. What would you have done?

Jacob,
November 15, 2011 2:33 PM

plausible deniability is not the end of the chain

Roy,
you might want to read the article before commenting on it. A point can be made that Paterno followed the reporting chain, but that he should have and could have done more. i would have done more. i hope that you would have done more.

Anonymous,
November 15, 2011 2:55 PM

why joe did what he did

I am sick about the situation. I feel terrible about the children who are victims in this case. But I am also aware that Joe Paterno, a G-d fearing individual, who does not tolerate any mischief, acted accordingly. He did not witness anything.
So my question is...how many people follow up on a report that they make to the police. Doesn't anyone believe that the police are doing their job? The police knew long before the alleged 2002 incident that Sandusky was up to no good.
The press has had a field day with this and I for one stand behind Joe. He has done amazing things for the University beyond the football program. But those who do not research the facts are so quick to condemn. It makes me sick to see how the press handled this. Every time I have been interviewed by the press they misquote me. I refused to speak to them about this. Freedom of the press...they need to be careful. Time for them to get some malpractice insurance.

Dvirah,
November 15, 2011 7:35 PM

A Possibility

Coach Paterno could have asked the student to accompany him to the police station and report to the police what he reported to the coach.

Emily,
November 15, 2011 3:56 PM

Buck passing

Paterno can't say" well I did my part. Now it is up to them." If they did nothing, he had a moral obligation to report it to the authorities.

Norm,
July 16, 2012 4:18 AM

Paterno is equally guilty

He made a decision to protect his assistant coach and sacrificed a child in the process.
When he saw nothing was being done, he could have said that was not acceptable instead he did nothing

(40)
Anonymous,
November 15, 2011 1:55 AM

Handling Paterno

The article is absolutely correct. The coach lost his moral compass in this situation. But, let's examine the context and our behavior. The coach is currently in his eighties, the issue happened in his seventies and by all that is right, Mr. Paterno should have retired in the best interests of the team and himself. It is known that aging affects the brain as well as other parts of the body. In this case, a faulty judgement was made that may not have been made in a younger Paterno.
Torah retires priests from service at an early age to prevent judgement errors and therefore age is recognized as a factor. we are also taught to temper judgement with Mercy. In this case the coach should have been allowed to retire after the season. His service to PSU has been above and beyond expectation. Throwing him out with the trash is wrong. Forced to retire..yes, Fire... No. He did not perpetrate the act but he did not go the additional moral step to stop the perpetrator. BTW, I am a PSU graduate.

(39)
Anonymous,
November 14, 2011 10:31 PM

what if the victim was a relative of his or someone he knew?

I believe that the coach would have acted entirely differently if the victim was his GRANDSON!
The grad student who observed this terrible act should
have intervined, or at least called 911.
There is NO excuse at all for this to go down the way it
did, and no justification will explain away the manner in
which this whole thing was handled.
Is football so glorified that it is exempt from the law?

(38)
Lauryn,
November 14, 2011 7:24 PM

Sandusky was removed from where he could cause further harm

I do believe that Paterno would have acted further if the university had not removed Sandusky from a position where he could continue his crimes. However, with the possibility of Sandusky continuing to do this removed, I still don't believe that it was Paterno's place to do more than he did, even if it may have been "better" morally to work to have Sandusky arrested. Even lawyer-client confidentiality can only be broken when the lawyer has reason to expect that the client plans to or will commit a future crime. Considering that Paterno did tell his superiors, I feel that the same idea should be applied in this case - and the blame for not having Sandusky arrested should only be shouldered by the university president and police.

Rachel,
November 15, 2011 4:31 AM

Lawyer-client confidentiality is not the same as this

Just because Sandusky was removed from that coaching position does not mean he was no longer a danger to boys (remember, he's accused of raping a 10 year old, not a college student). And the lawyer-client relationship is not a good comparison. If Sandusky had committed a different type of crime, I don't believe that everyone would have ignored it or merely fired him. And i'm also disgusted that the grad student who claims to have actually witnessed the rape did nothing except tell his father and Paterno. When are institutions going to learn that they are not "protecting" themselves when they protect predators?

(37)
Stacy,
November 14, 2011 3:16 PM

One often doesn't know the result of a complaint.

When a teacher or staff reports a suspected incident of child abuse, they are, more often than not, NOT told the outcome. (Usulally, this has to do with repecting privacy.)If Joe was told it was being handled, perhaps he believed it was. I think what happened to the victims was a horrible crime, however, I wouldn't want to rush to judgement.of this man who by all account did report the crime. Further investigation is surely warrented.

(36)
Gary Levinson,
November 14, 2011 1:39 PM

Paterno A Fall Guy For PSU Board

Coach Paterno did exactly what he should have done, he followed the protocol, reported the incident and was told," we will take it from here." All the facts have not been reviewed yet, we have a system of justice in America which is premised on innocence until proven guilty. Paterno has been judged and hanged before all of the facts have been reviewed. He is a victim of the media frenzy taking place in this matter.
Joe Paterno is and will always be one of the greatest college football coaches regardless of the Penn State Boards improper treatment of him.

(35)
Shana Gros,
November 14, 2011 10:16 AM

Right on the mark

Thought provoking article that touches upon a sensitive subject matter beautifully. In addition the author should be commended for his point of view that is so on target!

(34)
Francis E. Jeffery,
November 14, 2011 7:38 AM

Football or little boys

Check the action of the Penn students. Save Paterno and football. No care -- until they got caught not caring -- for the boys and their families. The letter of the law, Judeo-Christian, requires response.

(33)
Yitzhak,
November 14, 2011 6:03 AM

Let's understand the difficulties for McQuery

People here are calling for the head of Mike McQuery and I don't think that that is entirely fair. As a victim of child abuse, I have no patience for perpetrators of such horrendous unspeakable acts. However, I have also been a graduate assistant and I do have compassion for Mike McQuery. Until you have been a GA, you have no idea of what kind of power faculty members have over graduate assistants. For him to go in and tackle Jerry Sandusky might have stopped that situation. However, it would have doomed McQuery's career with no guarantee that it would have made any difference in the long run (tenured professors have much more power and "believability" than GAs do). He didn't have "the wherewithal to influence those people at the top without fear of reprisal". Perhaps we think that we might have done differently had we been in his shoes - and I would hope that we would. However, we have to remember that McQuery - like the child - was in a very unequal power relationship with Sandusky. He was obviously conflicted and unsure what to do and chose the only course that he felt was open to him - tell Paterno and hope that he would take care of it. As for JoePa's lack of action, I think that - given that he was probably the most powerful man on the PSU campus - such considerations don't pertain. In a real way, Paterno let McQuery down as well.

(32)
Aaron,
November 14, 2011 2:10 AM

Paterno is being mistreated

I object to the way Joe Paterno is being treated by his employer, by the press, by the public and the talking heads. It is clear that he in fact did what he was required by the law about a program that was conducted on the Penn State campus, but not a program sponsored by Penn State. When the matter was turned over to the authorities (both his supervisor and the campus police) why was it his responsibility to followup? Why did the young man (28 at the time) who actually saw the event not pursue the matter? He was a percipient witness. Paterno was not; Peterno was the recipient of hearsay, in effect gossip at that point, and he had no legal evidence he could present in a court of law. All he could present was what the alleged witness told him and if the witness died, Paterno could not testify in a regular court trial about the matter. Joe Paterno, who participated in the grand jury hearing, had no moral obligation to pursue what was a rumor at that point. He did not see his neighbor's blood being spilled. All he had was a statement by an alleged witness, a witness who abdicated his responsibility by not going directly to the police. Joe Paterno was fired for some hidden adgenda of the Trustees, it had nothing to do with his failure to do what was right. He did what was right. If the firing had occurred after an investigation and the wrong doing was identified I would support the decision. I do not, however, support what has been mob mentality and a failure of every article I have read; no one has identified what wrong (both legal and moral) Joe Paterno committed to cause him to lose his job. I have worked with a child care center for years and there is a procedure to report the suspected child abuse. The teacher or staff person reports it to the executive director and the director reports it to the police. What is really going on? The desire to bring down an icon is strong in this culture today. A man with a good name has been mistreated. Shame.

Tali,
November 14, 2011 1:54 PM

we all can point fingers...

This issue should haver little to do with the people involved. This issue should be about the VICTIMS. The question is what would you do-Not what you should do? Ask yourself what you would have done.

(31)
Alan S.,
November 14, 2011 1:03 AM

Aish.com should be commended for forthrightly discussing an obviously sensitive, laden-with-emotion topic. Please -- don't berate Aish.com or this author for any perceived lack of perfection in this article's attempt to touch on this horrible topic with perspective. Paterno obviously did not do the 'ethical' right thing when he mis-handled this case after it first reared its ugly head. Right is right -- there are minimum norms of justice that must be considered, and though Paterno may have done the minimum, children still may have continued to suffer because he may not have done all he should have. My one quibble with this article is that the author seems to put this horrific crime in the same ballpark as an issue of starving children. This comparison is inane.

(30)
Anonymous,
November 14, 2011 12:47 AM

Truth with Love

Thank you for having the courage to speak the truth in love.

(29)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 10:45 PM

A witness to physical abuse

I was once shopping at a Target store when I saw a father, whose face was redder than beet red, pulling his daughters hair and kicking her forward after she did not obey something he said. My initial reaction was to call 911 or get security, but then I froze and doubts of "I'm sure someone in other aisles will see and will have better power to do something about it" started to creep in. It's such a battle that you try to judge favorably, but then realize that people do evil, selfish things. It's very tough....

(28)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 9:53 PM

advocate for the weak and pursue justice.

Through our silence and inaction to witnessed acts of injustice we degenerate into immorality which leads to Sodom & Gomorrah.

(27)
Howard F,
November 13, 2011 9:17 PM

Appropriate Follow-up

The one thing that the coach said in news reports that makes sense is that in hindsight he wishes he had done more. I prefer to think that the coach is the one betrayer who has a chance to partially redeem himself, either by asking each Sandusky victim for forgiveness and asking what he can do to help deal with issues they are having now, or to work with some current victims of child abuse. The look on his face is that of a man genuinely troubled by what he has done.

(26)
jack piotrkowski,
November 13, 2011 8:24 PM

The coach has no nushma. (inter soul)

I'm sure that if the coach's own child was being abused and he knew about it, it would be reported diffrently to authority.

(25)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 8:04 PM

Well said...

(24)
Felicia Jacobson,
November 13, 2011 7:54 PM

Joe Paterno

I understand all the controversy of what is happening at Penn State and with Joe Paterno. I agree that he should no longer serve, as he neglected the spirit of the law, but after 46 years of flawless service, I think firing him was wrong. They could have retired him, immediately, with no more contact with his team. This tears at my heart, because as a victim of sexual abuse myself, this is a really tough call. I wish Joe and his family well and hope that God in His wonderful mercy be with him always.

jack,
November 14, 2011 10:22 AM

paterno could have resigned effective immediately

Instead he tried to stay until the end of the season and at that point the board had no choice to fire him.

(23)
stewart,
November 13, 2011 7:16 PM

are you kidding?

conspiracy to conceal a crime
aiding and abetting a crime
failure to inform police
facilitating a crime
he should be in jail and have done to him what he failed to take as a serious crime

(22)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 6:52 PM

letter ves. spirit

I really liked your differentiation about the letter of the l;aw and the spirit of the law.
I do not accept for your comparing a criminal offense caring for the hungry. It trivializes the punishment of Paterno. Show me any esteemed person who has not looked after the poor. child molestation within their own ranks. The heads of state and heads of religion including Jewish ones, and assorted institutions , example the Boy Scouts and military forces have also looked the other way. Such coverups should not be compared to feeding the hungry. Coverups should be dealt with harshly. The Joe Paterno case si one such example. His amazing legacy will never be remembered. Only his lack of seeking the spirit of the law will always taint his memeory, or be the only memory future generations have of him.
All the best, M

(21)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 4:58 PM

why is no one commenting on what really needs to be commented on?

I am the mother of an abused little boy. Not by these people but in another place, at another time. I am sickened by this story, but what is worse is all the attention everyone is giving the adults in the situation who were not harmed, not really. Losing their jobs, yes. Being harmed in a way that makes you never to be able to trust anyone again. Never to be able to be alone and feel secure. Never to have horrific nightmares, no. They were not harmed. Jobs were lost and they should have been. Now, lets turn our attention where it really should be. To the victims. Lets focus on these children and others that have been so horrifically harmed. Lets prevent it in the future, in today, when it is still happening while we talk about a football coach. Lets make sure these little boys and their mothers and fathers and aunts and uncles and grandparents and siblings are okay. Because believe me, they are not. It affects everyone in the whole family. Lets encourage Penn State to do what is right, pay for therapy, get the families what they need. Lets take the spot light off the abusers, trust me, they want it, it's great to them, and everyone else is just feeding into it and giving them what they want. How disgusting.

(20)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 4:55 PM

Forgetting the prime motive

No one is mentioning the prime motive for keeping the information quiet: Money. Higher education is based on making money and a big "football school" like Penn State reaps millions of dollars from their athletic program. To them, the fate of a few inner city children was outweighed by the profit loss if word got out about this incident. How ironic. It IS now out and watch how much they scramble to make sure they lose as little as possible. And notice the game went on.

(19)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 4:29 PM

Legal responsibilityfor the facility where this horrific rape took place

Since this locker-room was run by the University, is not the University culpable for damages, illegal acts --rape whether reported or not, endangerment of a child-- are the responsibility of the facility. Surely, unsafe conditions, grave bodily and/or psychological injuries and breaches in security are the responsibility of the owners and/or managers of the Penn State locker rooms. If an individual with a loaded gun were not stopped from entrance or use of the locker room, there would be no question of legal accountability.
What would have been the legal responsibility if the locker rooms were a meeting place for drug dealers? or the scene of rapes of women?
All the persons who could have intervened to stop this illegal act or to make sure the perpetrator was stopped from using this facility again bear culpability.

The real culprit is the molester. But that does not excuse the graduate student who witnessed the molestation or Paterno and other authorities at Penn State who learned of the molestation. Paterno was told, at the very least by his own admission, of sexual conduct involving a young boy. How can he not investigate? How can he simply tell the Athletic Director and wash his hands? Coaches often talk about teaching their charges about life and responsibilities. Paterno had an opportunity to lead by example and failed. Paterno had an opportunity to protect vulnerable children and failed. These failures do not negate his many good acts; but, to the same effect, his many good acts do not excuse these failures. In addition, expect facts to come out that many persons knew for a long time about Sandusky's abuse of vulnerable children. Like the scandal with the Church, somehow persons are inclined strongly to protect friends and institutions over children. And, by a review of some comments, we are inclined to want to find reasons to excuse or minimize actions that allowed abuse to continue.

(16)
Melanie Vliet,
November 13, 2011 3:43 PM

You Don't Understand.

I read only the first few paragraphs of this article. That was sufficient to convince me that the author didn't understand why Joe Paterno suffered the extreme consequences that were levied against him. He did, in fact, break the law.
When one takes a job as an educator of any kind, he must read and sign papers detailing his obligation to report child abuse--not to the employing educational institution, but to the police. It is for this crime that Mr. Paterno was punished with the loss of his long-standing position at Penn State.
My heart breaks for Joe Paterno. I admire those who remain actively employed into their old age. I was so impressed when he didn't permit the broken leg he suffered a few years ago when a player ran into him on the sidelines keep him away from his team's games. To have such a legend of college sports ejected from his profession so suddenly and under such unsavory circumstances--particularly when he was about to retire anyway--is such a tragic way to end an illustrious career. I am particularly saddened by the knowledge that it is this--and not all of the great things he did for many people over his decades of service--for which he will primarily be remembered through the ages. My heart cries for this tiny giant for whom so many years of good have been erased by one terrible decision.

(15)
Bobaris,
November 13, 2011 3:42 PM

pathetic

There is no justifiable reason why this guy wasn't suspended with a full investigation by the University and the police.Due process doesn't = in action.Joe P. was not only the most powerful guy on campus but in the whole county.He micro managed everything and he could have prevented the abuse of G-d knows how many other children.Imagine your child being abused after Joe knew how would you feel? Reality check,we have a responsibility to stand against evil and protect our children.

Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 7:13 PM

you do NOT know what you are talking about . . .

one has to wonder whether you ever attended a high high school, college or university . . .
there are many hierarchies at any eductional system with checks and balances and your remarks are just plain wrong
this comment should be removed and the author of the article NOT be allowed to write for aish.com anymore
once State College gets back on its feet . . . those who ran to harm her will pay !

Alan S.,
November 14, 2011 12:16 AM

Sadly, another comment that started out seemingly okay but spiraled down into one big crazy non-sequitor.

(14)
Sandy,
November 13, 2011 3:05 PM

Lashon Harah

What is the course that should be followed when the source of information is one witness communicating. Paterno did not have the means to investigate. THe real culprit is the 28 year old 6'5" graduate student who did not report this to the police or stop the act himself. Had he done so Paterno and the University President would not have been fired. What is the responsibility to act when hearing Lashon Harah--very Rah.

Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 4:44 PM

You are being too theoretical

When it comes to a department for which you are responsible, then you need to determine whether or not this is a case of loshon horah. There's also the concept of "al tizdak harbeh" and "chasid Shoteh" which I suggest you read about. Regarding his ability to investigate: Joe Paterno was held in high esteem by everyone. If he decided to investigate, do you really think the individuals involved would not answer his questions?

Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 5:49 PM

Lashon Hara ends in AIN, therefore just Lashon Ra!

No comment! What I had to say, I said it already!!!

(13)
moshe,
November 13, 2011 2:58 PM

judge for innocence... and factually incorrect

two points:
one, we have no verifiable testimony as to what those on the periphery saw, heard, or did, or what they knew and when they knew it... all we have at this point is an indictment from a grand jury -- which if we are to believe in the faithfulness and accuracy of the justice system -- is at best a series of reasonably substantiated allegations, not proven fact. i am sure i have no need to remind the author nor readers of the jewish and civil axiom that one is presumed innocent until proven guilty (dan the ch'af zechut)
two, the argument hat kitty genovese was the the victim of the "bystander effect" has been proven time and again to be false: not only was this woman not murdered 'in public view' (it was in a dark and deserted alley, where she was attacked on two separate occasions by the same man with a 15 to 20 minute gap between attacks), neither were there '38 silent witnesses' -- the truth is that a number of calls were made to the police, and it is police negligence and inaction that lead to her death as she could have arguably been saved had they responded after the first attack.

(12)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 2:55 PM

The Media Scanndal and Aish.com just became a part of it!

Easy to say b'devid.
L'chatchila Joe Pa did report this to his superiors. That "they" should have done more . . . perhaps.
Without the benefit of a trial (many trials of several individuals) where the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth would be ferreted out (over many months) all comments by just about anyone, at this time are more a matter of gossip mongering - in a sense, false witnessess breathing violence.
The Board of Trustees at PSU became a judge and jury - 'Media Salem Witch Trial' in a sense. In a rush to find culprits they acted capriciously.
Suggest this 'piece' be rescinded and we all review the aseen and laveen from the Chofetz Chaim.
Aish.com is sanctimoniously moralizing at someone elses expense, I believe.
Spilling the blood of millions of PSU alum, emeritus faculty and staff not to mention those who attend and work there now.
Please stop !

Meir,
November 13, 2011 4:37 PM

Sometimes, the situation is more obvious...

I think what we see is that many people still do not consider what happened as "criminal molestation". That there are individuals that see it this way is one hundred percent wrong! The firing of Joe Paterno accomplished two things: (1) It sent a message to everyone that Joe Paterno did not do enough. What would he have done if someone was found stealing thousands of dollars of football equipment? He would have told his superiors, or would he have pursued the matter directly?
(2) his firing will help mitigate any financial award if and when this matter is heard in a court of law. There are two aspects; the criminal charges, and (2) the civil lawsuit that can be brought against the entire adminstration for this mishandling. By acting decisively, the board can now argue that once they became aware of the situation they did all they could to exact judgement within their power.

shmuel,
November 13, 2011 6:33 PM

Aish did not become part of it.

In response to Anonymous. The subject of the above article does not discuss any details of this situation that are disputed. They have all been clearly documented. Paterno and the other school officials knew what happened. They took away the keys of the molester so he couldn't molest children on campus.
Whether or not the molester actually did what was reported has not been proven and he denies it. It certainly was reported, has been documented, and those parties certainly behaved very negligently.

(11)
bobarish,
November 13, 2011 2:48 PM

pathetic

It really gets me going when I read or hear these luke warm comments on this very serious matter."Oh how can we judge" or "we don't know what we would do in this situation" Please give me a break.Are we that week in spirit? Are we not of the same D.N.A. as King David? This is a no brainer for anyone who values truth and righteousness. Have you opened the Torah lately? Well I can tell you what I would have done and what takes only a pinch of courage,Immediately STOP the crime and call the police!!!!!

(10)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 2:35 PM

I heard the DA refused to prosecute the Perp

one source claimed he was initially arreested and was not prosecuted. I have not heard that in the news since. Perhaps with your sources it could be verified or debunked...please...makes a lot of difference if so.

(9)
Morgan,
November 13, 2011 2:33 PM

Need the facts before criticizing!

It is too easy to criticize Coach Paterno, and I did suggest that he retire about six years ago. Paterno will be a positive input into the trial.

(8)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 2:30 PM

Unfortunately, child molestation is a terrible problem in the Jewish community and some in positions of authority and trust have been guilty of this crime and those who knew what was happening stood by silently and refused to alert the authorities.
I think that if we are worrying about crimes against children and speaking of stopping the criminals, we must first take care of Jewish children who are being victimized before writing articles about non-Jews -- since as you say we are meant to be a light unto the world.

Terry Woosley,
November 13, 2011 7:16 PM

All children

If I were in the situation of the observer I am not going to ask if the child is Jewish or not. My purse would have been aimed at the rapists head. I am amazed that people have no courage.

(7)
Mark,
November 13, 2011 2:30 PM

Aiding and abettng a felon. If you knowingly allow a felony to go on, university rules are not laws!
He will escape jail time but should not.

(6)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 2:15 PM

Don't go there!

I am not sure that I would go there. If we wish to take the route to "...not stand idly on your brother's blood", then
we first need to look at some of our own communities. Victims and their parents have been trying to get justice for a long time. So, please apply the logic to their case. Who knew what and why was it hidden? We know why. But, we are suppose to be different. Are we not? Surely we must expose this in order to ensure that it never happens again. This is not a story coming from the outside. It is one that comes from our own people and our own papers. You know and I know it. The DA has finally had the courage to step in and take action. I hope that we begin to have the courage to stand up for victims.

(5)
doyle,
November 13, 2011 1:40 PM

right thing

There is never a wrong time to do the right thing.

Lyone,
November 13, 2011 7:37 PM

Thank you

AMEN

(4)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 1:34 PM

Where was the role modle when you needed him

Joe Paterno is an iconic man at PSU and the wider college football community. He had the wherewithal to influence those people at the top without fear of reprosal - particularly the President of PSU. And if the action taken by the University was inadequate, he should have contacted the authorities himself. He did not . This was a severe breach of leadership. His termination is just the beginning.

(3)
Pat,
November 13, 2011 1:23 PM

Judging Paterno

Congratulations on a concise and accurate comment about a terrible situation—the best I've seen so far. Everyone should follow Leviticus 19:16. There is no comfort in doing only what the rules say you should.

(2)
Anonymous,
November 13, 2011 12:55 PM

Coach Paterno was Legally Wrong

Legally, child abuse is to be reported to the police here in PA and I would imagine in other states as well. Anyone who knew what was going on was wrong both legally and ethically.

lisa,
November 13, 2011 2:22 PM

winning the game, ethics excluded, was their only goal !!.

is that a recent law.....to report to the police??

(1)
lisa,
November 13, 2011 10:13 AM

Even Lions sometimes need courage!!

Well said!! However it's easy to judge someone else....we don't really know Paterno's thought process. And do we know what we would have done? Now that sexual abuse, especially with children, is center stage in the news & we have specific organizations that deal with these kinds of horrific acts we can say, "of course I would have done differently." But we need courage to stand up & be heard!! Let's hope this incident might help other innocent children in the future.

Since honey is produced by bees, and bees are not a kosher species, how can honey be kosher?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

The Talmud (Bechoros 7b) asks your very question! The Talmud bases this question on the principle that “whatever comes from a non-kosher species is non-kosher, and that which comes from something kosher is kosher.”

So why is bee-honey kosher? Because even though bees bring the nectar into their bodies, the resultant honey is not a 'product' of their bodies. It is stored and broken down in their bodies, but not produced there. (see Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 81:8)

By the way, the Torah (in several places such as Exodus 13:5) praises the Land of Israel as "flowing with milk and honey." But it may surprise you to know that the honey mentioned in the verse is actually referring to date and fig honey (see Rashi there)!

In 1809, a group of 70 disciples of the great Lithuanian sage the Vilna Gaon, arrived in Israel, after traveling via Turkey by horse and wagon. The Vilna Gaon set out for the Holy Land in 1783, but for unknown reasons did not attain his goal. However he inspired his disciples to make the move, and they became pioneers of modern settlement in Israel. (A large contingent of chassidic Jews arrived in Tzfat around the same time.) The leader of the 1809 group, Rabbi Israel of Shklov, settled in Tzfat, and six years later moved to Jerusalem where he founded the modern Ashkenazic community. The early years were fraught with Arab attacks, earthquakes, and a cholera epidemic. Rabbi Israel authored, Pe'at Hashulchan, a digest of the Jewish agricultural laws relating to the Land of Israel. (He had to rewrite the book after the first manuscript was destroyed in a fire.) The location of his grave remained unknown until it was discovered in Tiberias, 125 years after his death. Today, the descendants of that original group are amongst the most prominent families in Jerusalem.

When you experience joy, you feel good because your magnificent brain produces hormones called endorphins. These self-produced chemicals give you happy and joyful feelings.

Research on these biochemicals has proven that the brain-produced hormones enter your blood stream even if you just act joyful, not only when you really are happy. Although the joyful experience is totally imaginary and you know that it didn’t actually happen, when you speak and act as if that imaginary experience did happen, you get a dose of endorphins.

These chemicals are naturally produced by your brain. They are totally free and entirely healthy.

Many people find that this knowledge inspires them to create more joyful moments. It’s not just an abstract idea, but a physical reality.

Occasionally, when I walk into an office, the receptionist greets me rudely. Granted, I came to see someone else, and a receptionist's disposition is immaterial to me. Yet, an unpleasant reception may cast a pall.

A smile costs nothing. Greeting someone with a smile even when one does not feel like smiling is not duplicity. It is simply providing a pleasant atmosphere, such as we might do with flowers or attractive pictures.

As a rule, "How are you?" is not a question to which we expect an answer. However, when someone with whom I have some kind of relationship poses this question, I may respond, "Not all that great. Would you like to listen?" We may then spend a few minutes, in which I unburden myself and invariably begin to feel better. This favor is usually reciprocated, and we are both thus beneficiaries of free psychotherapy.

This, too, complies with the Talmudic requirement to greet a person in a pleasant manner. An exchange of feelings that can alleviate someone's emotional stress is even more pleasant than an exchange of smiles.

It takes so little effort to be a real mentsch.

Today I shall...

try to greet everyone in a pleasant manner, and where appropriate offer a listening ear.

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